The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-03-17

some Large Trees.
One-third of the land surface of our
planet is covered with trees. The la
gest tree in the world is situated IN
Mascoli, near the foot of Mt. Etna. and
is called the Chestnut Tree Of Hun
dred Horses" and moreover is believed
to be one Of the oldest trees in the
world. Its name arose from the report
that Queen Jane of Aragon, with her
principal nobility took refuge from a
violent storm under its branches. At
one time it was supposed that it con-
sisted Of clump Of trees united. but
on digging away the earth the root was
found entire at no great depth. Five
enormous branches arise from one great
trunk, which is two hundred and twelve
feet in circumference. A part of the
trunk has been broken away and its i'm
terror is hollow, and is large enough
to contain i flock Of sheep, or two car
riages driven abreast through it. It
sill beats an abundance Of fruit, and
its collectors have built hut within
the trunk, the better to promote their
proceedings,
The largest tree in the United States
stands near Bear Creek. on the North
side of Thorn River. California. 1t
measures o.le hundred and forty feet
III circumference. In Tuolume grove,
Nevada. stands the dead Giant Red
wood tree measuring one Kindred
and nineteen feet in circumference.
which has been so entirely followed by
long use as chimney that the road
makers could not resist the temptation
of completing the work of the camp
fires, SO that they have cut a great arch
way right through the farther side Of TIE
poor dead stump and led the road
through it, 50 that now the high crowd
ed coach daily passes through the very
herr. of the great tree, which may have
been young in the days of Julius
Caesar.
An historical walnut trees stands in a
smooth meadow near Haverstraw, N.
Y. History says that under its branches
the forces Of Anthony Wayne waited
for Col. Lords servant Pomp to con.
duct them through the lowlands and
marshes to the rear of the fort on
Stony Point that dark and stormy night
when the fort was retaken from the
British troops. Under its branches
too. it is said Washington paid of tht
struggling remnant Of the army d
Newburg, when, weary. sootsore, and
ragged they returned to their almost
ruined homes after the war was ended
This tree measures twenty feet in cir
cumference and is certainty more thar
sixty feet high. 1t is held in greal
yeneration by the community in which
it stands as an honored member.
The Scientific American recently haG
4 cut of remarkable Yucca tree
growing in Southern California which
becoming too heavy to stand erect, ha.
bent over and attached itselfto the earth
forming an arch under which fourteen
or fifteen hOrsemen could ride abreast
The Gardeners monthly states thai
a tree Of remarkable dimensions wa
recently felled ut Crystal Spring, Yate
county, N. Y. The tree was perfcc;l,
sound and vigorous, thirteen feet il
circumference at the ground, and near
" two hundred feet in height. Th,
rings or annual layers in its stump in
dicate an age of three hundred and tif
teen years, and it is estimated that fou
thousand feet of lumbe.' will be Gu
from its trunk.
The soft maple tree that was Gu
down on the White House ground
last December had many historic as
sociations. President Lincoln had
habit of stopping at this tree. whe
thoughtfully strolling about tn
grounds, and pulling \ twig from il
Then he would take out his pocket
knife and slowly whittle the stick as n
walked on. The tree was planted durin
the administration of Andrew Jackson
In the negro cemetery at Americu:
Ca, is cedar tree that was planted i
pitcher at the head of a grave te
years ago. It burst the bottom Of til
pitcher and rooted in the earth III
pitcher still encircles the bottom Of til
cedar. which is ten feet high.